Disposal container and transport case for infectious and hazardous waste material

ABSTRACT

A disposal container comprising a generally rectangular body portion defining a receptacle with an open top bounded by a rim, and a lid member which is slidably and engagingly mounted over the top of the rim of the container body. The lid member is secured to the container body using a tamper evidencing locking strips. The lid member has a convex raised top surface with a centrally located upwardly projecting cylindrical neck region defining a generally circular aperture. The aperture is selectively sealed by a plastic plug having a concave, recessed interior. The lid member has an pivotably mounted carrying handle, and the entire disposal container may be seated within a mounting bracket which is attached to a wall or vehicle.

This is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 07/207/722 filedon Jun. 16, 1988, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,309 on Apr. 3, 1990

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to devices for disposing of usedmedical equipment or waste materials, and particularly to a method andapparatus for the containment, transportation, and safe disposal ofbiologically infectious or potentially hazardous waste materials.

The disposal of used medical or research equipment has always presentedcertain problems. These items may include contaminated syringes andneedles, scalpels, blades, glass medication or drug dispensing ampules,intravenous sets, blood specimen containers, bandages and pads, surgicalgloves, and many hundreds of other assorted instruments and supplies.Those items having pointed ends, such as syringes or needles, scalpels,blades, and other supplies capable of accidentally puncturing the skinor protective garments, have become known as "sharps."

The variety of such items has been steadily increasing over recent yearsand because disposability is a primary requirement for almost allmedical supplies, the sheer number of such items being disposed of hasalso increased. These items are often contaminated--or must be treatedas if contaminated--by an unknown variety of infectious or hazardousagents.

While it is accepted practice to separate radioactively contaminatedwaste from infectious or other hazardous wastes, it is often the casethat radioactive wastes, infectious substances, viral or otherbiological contaminants, blood or tissue samples, unused medications,mutagenic compounds, and a host of other potential health hazards aredisposed of together in common receptacles. The combining of such wastescreates additional problems, since any one may be more dangerous when incombination with another, and because it eliminates any chance forpersonnel to later identify what hazardous items may be in eachreceptacle.

Because many of these items are being used in medical facilities andresearch laboratories under conditions where the personnel mustconcentrate on a particular emergency at hand, where their activitiesare hampered by working in a sterile negative-pressure hood or otherprotective equipment, or must concentrate on performing many repetitiveactivities within a given time period, the disposal devices for suchitems must be made as safe, easy to use, and as relatively trouble orerror free as possible.

Members of the medical community working with patients or in researchfacilities where communicable diseases such as Hepatitis-B,Staphylococcus, and the like may be present have shown considerableconcern over the possible transmission of those communicable diseasesthrough the accidental exposure to contaminated supplies, particularlyto sharps. This concern has grown considerably in recent years, not justamong those who routinely work with communicable diseases, butthroughout the medical and public service sectors, due predominantly towidespread recognition of the increase in acquired immune deficiencysyndrome (AIDS) cases. While there is a great deal of controversysurrounding the possible methods and likelihood of transmission of theAIDS viruses, it is well accepted that accidental contact withcontaminated sharps presents one of the most dangerous threats ofunintentional exposure to the AIDS virus for medical personnel.

It is important that the various types of wastes be disposed ofappropriately. Some waste must be burned, while it is particularlydangerous to burn others. Some waste must first be sterilized, whileothers must be biologically or chemically neutralized. Others must bedisposed of in a manner which will prevent any exposure to theenvironment. An additional consideration for disposing of particularsharps, specifically syringes and needles which are not burned, is theongoing problem of preventing those needles from falling into the handsof intravenous (IV) drug users once they have been disposed of, sincesuch needles are particularly valuable and many persons resort tocombing through trash bins at hospitals or medical facilities in searchof such items.

The governmental and institutionally self-imposed regulations fordealing with contaminated waste materials have become quiet expansiveand confusing. It is therefore more efficient and practical for medicalfacilities of all sizes to place the responsibility for collecting,transporting, and disposing of infectious or other hazardous wastes inthe hands of qualified professionals who perform this service.Consequently, the nature of the activities performed by these servicesgives rise to peculiar needs and considerations for the design of theirdisposal containers.

In the past, a variety of receptacles and disposal containers have beendesigned and used for the containment and disposal of infectious orhazardous wastes.

One feature which has been incorporated into a variety of differentdisposal containers is the "one way" closure. The one way closure isintended to seal the otherwise open neck of a disposal container, toprevent contaminants from becoming airborne, and to prevent sharps orother waste from falling or protruding out of the disposal container.Representative examples of such one way closures on disposal containersare shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,351,434; 4,454,944; and 3,381,814. Theconcept of a one way closure has also been utilized in other types ofwaste receptacles, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,633disclosing a trash container for use in automobiles, and in other typesof products such as the dispensing carton disclosed in U. S. Pat. No.3,556,293. The closure may range anywhere from a simple slitconfiguration as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,755, to shapes designedspecifically for the disposal of particular items such as the systemshown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,877 for dispensing of syringe needles,and the star-like closure configurations of the patents mentioned above.While the closure is generally positioned on the top of the disposalcontainer, it may in some instances be positioned on the side of thecontainer, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,536.

While being suitable for some applications, these disposal containerspresent several common deficiencies.

Medical personnel often injure themselves attempting to press sharpsthrough the one way type closure. Since the person cannot see inside thecontainer to determine if it is full, and the closure itself restrictsthe size and shape of certain articles which may pass through, personsmay injure themselves attempting to force an item through the closureinto a full container, or one which is not designed to accommodate theparticular item. If an item becomes jammed in the closure, the personmust use his finger to force the item into the container, which canresult in piercing that finger with contaminated sharps or other objectswhich are pointed upwardly in the container.

The seal provided by such one way closures is generally not air tight,and therefore not suitable for use in the sterile environment requiredin many research facilities. Such closures are also subject to beingdeformed after continued use.

Many of the containers themselves are made from lightweight andnon-durable materials so they can be disposed of, but consequently donot provide a complete seal around the periphery of the container or atits folds, and will permit liquid contaminants to leak out. More durablecontainers designed for repeated use, such as that shown in U.S. Pat.No. 4,454,944, may be constructed such that they can be autoclaved forsterilization, but are impractical to clean or empty.

One improvement has been the inclusion of a thin plastic liner, such asshown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,534,489 and 3,756,574. Such a liner is notpractical in a container which is deformable or foldable, however, sinceitems shifting within the flexible walls of the container will puncturethe liner, or will protrude through folds and seams. Moreover, such aliner may restrict certain items from being placed within the containerunless it is held open by the container rim, which then presentsproblems in maintaining the liner in an upright position around that rimwhen filled with any weight of saturated materials, liquids, orglassware.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of this invention to design a disposalcontainer for infectious or other hazardous wastes which is sturdy,durable, and impervious to those contaminants frequently encountered inmedical or research facilities, and which may be used repeatedly tocontain, transport, and dispose of infectious and other hazardouswastes, including biological and radioactive contaminants and medicalsharps.

It is a related object of this invention to design the above disposalcontainer such that it may be used either within medical and researchfacilities, or in the field by mobile paramedics, police, and fire orrescue personnel where contaminated medical items must be disposed ofand where such disposal containers must withstand the particular rigorsand environments encountered in such uses.

It is another object of this invention to design the above disposalcontainer such that medical or research personnel may conveniently placecontaminated items therein without the risk of injury or accidentalcontact with sharps, and exposure to the contaminants thereon.

It is a related object of this invention to design the above disposalcontainer such that it may be securely mounted on a wall or vehicle, orrested on a table or counter top in a stable position, or elevated on afreestanding rack that would permit the disposal container to be used bypersonnel who must necessarily concentrate on other activities andoperate the disposal container with one hand.

It is yet another object of this invention to design the above disposalcontainer such that it may alternately be used with one or more linersof various types, and such that said liners will be securely held inplace in an open position when the container is filled with saturatedmaterials or heavy glassware.

It is an additional object of this invention to design the abovedisposal container such that a positive seal may be formed around thetop of the container rim, and further such that if liquid contaminantsare accidentally spilled onto or over to top of the container whendisposing of an item, the contaminants will not accumulate in cracks orcrevasses of the container.

It is a further object of this invention to design the above disposalcontainer such that a person cannot accidentally open the top of thecontainer, except for that portion used for disposal of contaminateditems, nor intentionally open the top without evidencing that thecontainer has been tampered with.

It is still another object of this invention to design the abovedisposal container such that the receptacle portion of the container hasenough volume to contain the large number of contaminated items normallyused in an emergency room or other treatment facility, without affectingthe integrity of the disposal container.

It is a unique object of this invention to design the above disposalcontainer such that it may be used selectively as an open top containerhaving a normally unobstructed neck or disposal aperture, or alternatelywith a static closure to prevent contaminants from becoming airborne.

It is a related object of this invention to design the closure means forthe disposal aperture of the container such that it may be easilygripped by a person without the risk of puncturing or tearing surgicalgloves, or by a person who is holding instruments in their hands, suchas a pipette holder or the like.

It is further a related object of this invention to design the abovedisposal container such that the closure means may be used as a tampingdevice for pressing items down into the container below the disposalaperture, and serve to protect the user's hands and fingers from injuryby sharps and shield them from contact with contaminated items.

It is an object of this invention to design the above disposal containersuch that it may be easily and thoroughly emptied, cleaned, andsterilized after each use, and such that it may be easily andconveniently transported to a location where such cleaning andsterilization will be performed.

A distinct object of this invention is to design a transport case for aplurality of the disposal contains which permits a technician toconveniently carry several disposal containers to or from a remote areawithout the risk of spilling or exposing their contents, and to permitstacking of those transport cases.

Briefly described, the disposal container of this invention comprises agenerally rectangular body portion defining a receptacle with an opentop bounded by a rim, and a lid member which is slidably and engaginglymounted over the top of the rim of the container body. The lid membermay further be secured to the container body using a tamper evidencinglocking strip. The lid member has a convex raised top surface with anupwardly projecting neck region defining a generally circular aperture.The aperture may be selectively closed and sealed by a plastic plughaving a concave, recessed interior. The lid member has an attachedpivotable carrying handle, and the entire disposal container may beseated within a mounting bracket which is attached to a wall or vehicle.

The transport case comprises a large tote container with a hinged lidand integrally molded carrying handle. The handle is received within achannel formed in the bottom of alike transport case when stacked in acolumn. The channel forms a longitudinal wall inside the tote container,and together with a pair of transverse walls, serve to retain thedisposal containers in a stable upright position within the transportcase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the disposal container of thisinvention situated within its mounting bracket;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned side elevation view of the disposalcontainer of this invention taken through line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned rear elevation view of the disposalcontainer of this invention taken from line 3--3 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section view of the upper end of the disposalcontainer body and lid of this invention taken through line 4--4 of FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded assembly view of the disposal container body, lid,liners, and mounting bracket of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the top of the disposal container ofthis invention showing the lid mounted on the container body;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the transport case of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal top cross section view of the tote containerportion of the transport case taken through line 8--8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view showing a plurality of like transportcases stacked in a vertical column, with the top transport casepartially broken away;

FIG. 10 is a front cross section view of one of the transport casestaken through line 10--10 of FIG. 9 showing a pair of disposalcontainers received therein; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of two stacked transport cases with thetop transport case sectioned along its longitudinal center line.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The disposal container apparatus of this invention is shown in FIGS.1-11 and referenced generally therein by the numeral 10.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, it may be seen that the disposalcontainer 10 comprises a container body 12, a lid member 14 having apivotable handle member 16, and a mounting bracket 18. The containerbody 12 and lid member 14 should preferably be molded from a resilientplastic resin such as 3/16th inch polyethylene, may be made opaque ortranslucent, and should be provided with a roughened or pebbled textureon the exterior surface thereof and with a generally smooth surface onthe interior thereof. The handle member 16 should be formed from astainless or plated metal rod. The mounting bracket 18 may beconstructed from any easily cut and formed sheet metal, preferably alightweight alloy or aluminum.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, it may be seen that thecontainer body 12 consists of a generally planar, rectangular basesection 22 defining the width and length of the bottom of the disposalcontainer 10.

Extending upwardly from each edge of the base section 22 and connectedthereto or molded integrally therewith are a front wall section 26, aback wall section 24, and a pair of opposing side wall sections 28, 30.The corners 32 between the base section 22 and the wall sections 24, 26,28, 30 as well as between the wall sections 24, 26, 28, 30 themselves,should be rounded slightly.

The container body 12 also defines a receptacle region 34 situated abovethe base panel 22 and between the opposing wall sections 24, 26, 28, 30of the container body 12, and further defines an open top 36 bounded bythe top edge of each wall section 24, 26, 28, 30. Adjacent to the topedge of each wall section 24, 26, 28, 30 the container body 12 definesan outwardly projecting rim region 38 which extends generallyperpendicular to and horizontally from each wall section 24, 26, 28, 30.The rim 38 has a generally uniform height along the full length of thefront and back wall sections 24, 26 of the container body 12 and nearthe width wise ends of the side wall side wall sections 28, 30, butdefines a pair of opposing handgrip regions 40 centered on each of theside wall sections 28, 30. The height of the rim region 38 in thesegment adjacent to the handgrip regions 40 is approximately equal tothe thickness of the wall sections 28, 30.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 5, it may be seen that the lid member 14consists of a generally horizontal top segment 42 having a peripheralsection surrounding a generally convexly curved, slightly raised centralsection 44, with a centrally positioned upstanding neck region 46extending upwardly therefrom. The neck region 46 defines a generallycircular waste aperture 48 and a bore extending entirely therethroughand communicating with the receptacle region 34 and waste aperture 48when the lid member 14 is mounted on the container body 12 as shown inFIG. 1.

The handle 16 is formed from a straight section of rod (not shown)having a cross-sectional diameter, and bent to form a generally C-shape,with the opposing ends of the handle member 16 being pivotably receivedwithin a pair of recessed handle slots 50 in the sides 52 of the raisedsection 44 of the lid member 14. The internal side of the handle slots50 are completely sealed as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 so that nocontaminants may leak out between the lid member 14 and handle member16. The handle member 16 may pivot within the handle slots 50 betweentwo lowered positions each adjacent to the raised section 44 of the lidmember 14 on either side of the neck region 46 as shown in FIG. 1, andto any raised position displaced from the lowered position such as shownin FIG. 5, including a position raised directly above the waste aperture48 and neck region 46. The raised central section 44 of the lid member14 should extend upwardly from the surrounding peripheral section to amaximum height of no more than approximately two to three times thediameter of the rod used to form the handle member 16.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, it may be seen that the lid member 14defines a depending skirt 54 which extends downwardly generallyperpendicular to the lid member 14 along the edges thereof correspondingto the front wall section 26, back wall section 24, and one side wallsection 30. The depending skirt 54 has a height generally equal to orslightly greater than the height of the rim region 38 along thecorresponding wall sections 24, 26, 30 of the container body 12. Aprojecting rib member 56 extends inwardly generally perpendicular to thedepending skirt 54 of the lid member 14 along the length of thedepending skirt 54 corresponding to the front wall section 26, back wallsection 24, and side wall section 30.

The projecting rib member 56 extends inwardly a distance or widthgenerally equal to the distance the rim region 38 extends outwardly fromthe corresponding wall section 24, 26, 30, such that the rib member 56of lid member 14 underlies and is securely engaged beneath the rimregion 38 of the container body 12. The width of the rib member 56 isless in the area corresponding to the handgrip region 40 of the sidewall section 30, as shown in FIG. 4, such that a user may insert hisfingertips between the rib member 56 and container body 12 to assist inremoving the lid member 14 from the container body 12 as described indetail below.

Referring particularly to FIG. 5, it may be seen that to mount the lidmember 14 on the rim region 38 of the container body 12, the rim region38 of the container body 12 is slidably received within and between thesections of the depending skirt 54 corresponding to the length of thelid member 14, with the rib member 54 extending from the depending skirt56 engaging beneath the rim region 38. Thus, the end of the lid member14 corresponding to the side wall section 28 of the container body isgenerally open so as to permit passage of the rim region 38 of thecontainer body 12 therethrough.

The exposed end edges 58 of the depending skirt 54 and top segment 42 ofthe lid member 14 are curved or curled inwardly and downwardly,respectively, to wrap partially around the rim region 38 of thecontainer body 12.

It is necessary in order to mount the lid member 14 on the containerbody 12 that the depending skirt 54 flex or bend outwardly very slightlyas the front and back wall sections 24, 26 of the container body 12 passbetween the rib members 56, with the depending skirt 54 then exertingpressure inwardly on the rim region 38 of the container body 12. Oncethe front and back wall sections 24, 26 of the container body 12 havepassed completely through between the end edges 58 of the rib members56, the depending skirt 54 may spring back into a locked or engagingposition as shown in FIG. 1. In this manner, the lid member 14 may beslidably and engagingly received and mounted upon the rim region 38 ofthe container body 12.

The waste aperture 48 may be selectively closed and sealed by a closureplug 60 shaped and sized to be partially received through the wasteaperture 48 and within the neck region 46, and to securely lodge thereinto provide a substantially airtight seal between the interior receptacleregion 34 and the exterior of the disposal container 10. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 5, in the case of a circular aperture 48 the closure plug 60should preferably comprise a circular base section 62 of smallerdiameter than the waste aperture 48, with a wall segment 64 extendingupwardly such that the top peripheral edge 66 of the closure plug 60 hasa diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the waste aperture 48such that the closure plug 60 may not pass completely therethrough, butwill instead become securely lodged therein. The base section 62 andwall segment 64 of the closure plug are preferably formed from a thinbut durable plastic to form a concave recess or cavity 68 having an opentop within the closure plug 60. The plastic used to form the closureplug 60 should be both thick and durable enough to resist puncture bysharps, and yet deformable enough to permit the closure plug 60 to fittightly within the waste aperture 48. It is understood that the closureplug 60 lodging in and contacting the waste aperture 48 forms a completeand secure seal therewith.

The disposal container 10 is preferably equipped with a pliable plasticbag or first liner 70 constructed from a thin plastic film or sheetmaterial and defining the exterior surface of the liner 70 to completelyconform to the interior surface of the container body 12 when the lineris received within the receptacle region 34 and filled with a liquid.Sufficient excess liner material may in some applications be provided sothat the liner portion adjacent to the open top of the liner 70 may befolded over the rim region 38 and extend below the rim region 38 and thedepending skirt 54 of the lid member 14 when the lid member 14 ismounted on the container body 12.

Preferably, a second or interior liner 71 constructed from a resilientsingle ply fiber board material is inserted within the first plasticliner 70. The interior liner 71 has generally rectangular shape with anenclosed bottom and an open top, a height approximately equal to theinside depth of the container body 12, and length and width dimensionapproximately equal to those of the base section 22. The interior liner71 may be placed inside the plastic liner 70, and then both insertedinto the receptacle region 34 of the container body 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, it may be seen that the rim region 38 of thecontainer body 12 corresponding to the side wall section 28 above thehandgrip segment 40, as well as the lid member 14, each define a smallcircular aperture 72 which are aligned when the lid member 14 is mountedon the container body 12, and through which a plastic locking strip 74may be threaded and secured. Such locking strips 74 are well known tothe art for a variety of uses, and comprise a serrated web 76 and anotched clasp member 78 which permits the serrated web 76 to passthrough in only one direction, thus allowing the locking strip 74 to belooped and cinched as shown in FIG. 1 and to be removed only by cuttingthe serrated web 76.

The mounting bracket 18 for the disposal container 10 has a generallyvertical back panel 80 with a spacer 82 extending generallyperpendicularly from and connected to the bottom edge of the back panel80, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The mounting bracket 18 also has a pairof securing arms 84 extending generally perpendicularly from andconnected to the opposing side edges of the back panel 80 such that oneof the securing arms 84 is disposed along and closely confronts theexterior surface of each of the side wall sections 28, 30 of thecontainer body 12 when the disposal container is seated and securedwithin the mounting bracket 18 as shown in FIG. 1. Each securing arm 84terminates in an outwardly projection tab 86 adjacent to the front sidewall 24 of the container body 12, and each tab 86 and securing arm 84define a slot 88 through which the serrated web 76 on the locking strip74 may be inserted and fastened, to thereby securely retain the disposalcontainer 10 within the mounting bracket 18. The mounting bracket 18 maybe attached to any generally vertical surface using doubled sidedadhesive tap strips 94 with peel-away backing 96, or with conventionalthreaded fasteners inserted through one or more apertures 98 in the backpanel 80 of the mounting bracket 18.

In operation, a person will remove the lid member 14 from the emptycontainer body 12 by inserting the fingertips of one hand upwardlybetween the rib member 56 of the depending skirt 54 and the side wallsection 30 of the container body 12, and will grasp the container body12 at the opposing side 28 with the other hand, and slidably remove thelid member 14 from the rim region.

The person will then open a plastic liner 70 and insert an interiorliner 71 into that liner 70, and then insert those liners 70, 71completely into the receptacle region 34 of the container body 12 suchthat the outer liner 70 contacts the base section 22 of the containerbody 12, and is pressed into place by the interior liner 71 and conformsgenerally to the interior of the receptacle region 34.

The lid member 14 is then mounted on the rim region 38 of the containerbody 12 by sliding the rim region 38 of the container through the openend edge 58 of the lid member 14, which causes the depending skirt 54 toflex outwardly slightly. The rim region 38 is further inserted betweenthe opposing sections of the depending skirt 54 and above the rib member56 until the rim member 38 of the container body 12 is completelyreceived within the lid member 14 such that the depending skirt springsback to its unflexed position with the rib member 56 engaged under therim region 38 along the side wall sections 28, 30 of the container body12 as shown in FIG. 1.

The user may thread the pointed end of the serrated web 76 of thelocking strip 74 through the apertures 72 in the container body 12 andlid member 14 and insert the serrated web 76 through the clasp member 78and cinch down the locking strip 74 such that the lid member 14 may notbe moved relative to the container body 12. The excess portion of theserrated web 76 of the locking strip 74 is then cut off. The lockingstrip 74 may alternately be applied after the disposal container 10 isplaced in a mounting bracket 18 at a remote location for use.

The closure plug 60 is then inserted into the waste aperture 48 in theneck region 46 by passing the base section 62 through the waste aperture48 and pressing downwardly on the closure plug 60 until the wall segment64 lodges within the waste aperture 48, and continuing said pressure tofirmly engage the closure plug 60 and seal the waste aperture 48.

The disposal container 10 may then be positioned in any locationconvenient for use in disposing of contaminated articles (not shown)such a sharps or the like, either by resting the base section 22 on agenerally flat horizontal surface, or by seating the disposal container10 within the mounting bracket 18. The closure plug 60 may beselectively removed, or the user may remove and replace the closure plug60 each time an article is disposed of into the disposal container 10.To remove the closure plug 60 from the waste aperture 48, the user mayextend one or more fingers onto the open top of the cavity 68, and graspthe portion of the wall section 64 extending above the neck region 46,and withdraw the closure plug 60 from the waste aperture 48.

The contaminated article may then be inserted into the disposalcontainer 10 through the waste aperture 48, and if for some reason thearticle does not drop completely into the receptacle region 34, theclosure plug 60 may be used to tamp the article down into the receptacleregion 34 such that the closure plug 60 may be replaced within theaperture, thereby maintaining the seal.

Once the disposal container has been filled with contaminated articlesor material, or according to a predetermined schedule, the disposalcontainer 10 may be removed from the mounting bracket 18 and taken to adisposal site. If an outside or centralized service is utilized fordisposing of the contaminated materials, that service might choose toequip any carts or vehicles it uses to transport the disposal containers10 with a predetermined number of the mounting brackets 18.

In order to permit carrying a plurality of the disposal containers 10 ofthis invention to a remote location for installation, use, or disposal,a transport case 100 may be utilized. The transport case 100 is moldedfrom the same type of high impact plastic material as the disposalcontainers 10, and includes a tote container body 102 and a tote lid 104pivotally connected to the tote container body 102 along the one of theside edges of the open top rim 110 of the tote lid 104 overlaps andrests upon the top rim 106 of the tote body 102 which is recessed orcurved inward along the top edge thereof. The tote lid 104 is furthersecured in a closed position on top of the tote body 102 using a pair ofclasps 112 attached to the side of the tote body 102 and tote lid 104opposing the hinges 108.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 10, the tote lid 104 further defines a pair ofopposing raised portions 114 at the opposing ends of the tote lid 104with a lower or recessed portion 116 extending therebetween. Extendingbetween and connected to each of the raised portions 114 is an invertedU-shaped tubular handle 118 which is displaced above the lower portion116 of the tote lid 104.

The bottom panel 120 of the tote body 102 defines a first longitudinalchannel 122 extending along the length of the tote body 102 andextending upwardly into the receptacle region thereof. The longitudinalchannel is wide enough, and has is wade enough, and has a raised centerportion 124 which may receive the handle 118 of a like transport case100 therein when the transport case 100 is stacked in vertical alignmenton the like transport case 100 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11.

The tote body 102 also defines a pair of second or lateral channels 126extending across the width of the tote body 102 generally perpendicularto the longitudinal channel 122 and between the longitudinal channel 122and the front and back sidewalls 128, 130 of the tote body 102 andcentered along the length thereof.

Together, the longitudinal channel 122 and transverse channels 126define cross shaped walls extending upward a distance within thereceptacle region of the tote body 102, thus dividing the tote body 102into four generally rectangular compartments 132 of substantially equalsize.

When one or more of the disposal containers 10 are received within thetransport case 100 as shown in FIG. 10, the base section 22 of eachdisposal container 10 rests on the interior planar surface of the 120bottom panel 120 of the tote body 102 within one of the compartments132. The upwardly extending neck region 46 and closure plug 60 aredisposed proximate to the inner surface of one of the raised portions114 of the tote lid 104, and adjacent the side ends of the lower portion116 thereof. The end edges of the disposal containers 10 in theproximity of the rim regions 38 closely confront the inner surfaces ofthe inwardly curved top rim 106 of the tote body 102. The end walls 134,136 of the tote body 102 are tapered outwardly and upwardly so as toaccommodate the fact that the rim region 38 of the disposal containers10 extend outwardly a distance from the respective walls sections 24,26, 28, 30. The transport case 100 may also include a plurality of footpads 138 attached to or integrally molded onto the outer surface of thebottom panel 120 to stabilize the transport cases 100 when stacked orfreestanding.

Once the disposal container has been delivered to the disposal cite, atechnician will determine what types of materials or contaminants may becontained within the disposal container based upon any labels, writtenrecords, or according to some other compilation supplied by the user.The technician will also determine the best or most suitable means fordisposing of the waste material, or the disposal facility may beequipped such that all waste materials are treated in a similar andsatisfactory manner.

The technician will then cut the locking strip 74, and remove the lidmember 14 as described above. The liners 70, 71 and their contents maythen be removed for treatment and disposal, or the entire disposalcontainer 10 may be sterilized or treated with the contents therein, andthe contents then removed. Once the contents are removed, the disposalcontainer is thoroughly cleaned, and new liners 70, 71 are inserted intothe container body 12 and the disposal container 10 is reassembled aspreviously described. The disposal container 10 may then be returned toa facility for continued use.

Various other embodiments of the disposal container 10 of this inventionmay be designed and constructed, such as forming a lid member 14 for thedisposal container 10 having a snap-on engagement with the rim 38 of thecontainer body 12 whereby projections and corresponding recesses oneither the rim 38 or lid member 14 will engage and secure the lid member14 to the container body 12.

While the preferred embodiment of the above disposal container 10 andtransport case 100 have been described in detail above with referencesto the attached drawing figures, it is understood that various changesand adaptations may be made therein without departing from the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A waste disposal system to contain and transportcontaminated materials, said waste disposal system comprising:aplurality of waste disposal containers, said waste disposal containerseach having a container body defining a receptacle region to receive andcontain the contaminated materials and a neck region extending upwardlyfrom said container body and communicating with said receptacle region,said waste disposal containers each further having a height and a lengthand a width; between an open position and a closed position coveringsaid generally open top, said transport case defining a receptacleregion having a depth and a length and a width, said depth and saidlength and said width of said receptacle region of said transport casebeing sufficiently greater than the height and the length and the widthof the waste disposal containers so that more than one of the wastedisposal containers may be removably received within said transportcase, said transport case further having means to secure each of theplurality of the waste disposal containers received within saidtransport case in a substantially upright position, said means to secureeach of the plurality of waste disposal containers in a substantiallyupright position including a plurality of raised walls which extendupwardly into the receptacle region of the transport case a distanceless than or approximately equal to half the height of the wastedisposal containers, said plurality of raised walls being defined by andconnected to said base panel and dividing the receptacle region of thetransport case into a plurality of subcompartments, each saidsubcompartment being sized so as to securely receive one of the disposalcontainers between said raised walls, said means to secure each of theplurality of waste disposal containers in a substantially uprightposition further including at least one raised portion of said lid andat least one lower portion of said lid, said neck region of each of theplurality of waste disposal containers being at least partially receivedwithin one of said raised portions of the lid and separated from oneanother by said lower portions of said lid when said lid is in saidclosed position.
 2. The disposal system of claim 1 wherein the number ofsubcompartments is four.
 3. The disposal system of claim 1 wherein eachraised wall has a thickness, and wherein the length of the receptacleregion of the transport case is generally equal to the combined lengthsof two of the disposal containers plus the thickness of the raised wall,and wherein the width of the receptacle region of the transport case isgenerally equal to the combined widths of two of the disposal containersplus the thickness of the raised wall.
 4. The disposal system of claim 1wherein the number of the raised portions of the lid is two, each of theraised portions opposing one another and being positioned adjacent anopposing end of the lid, and wherein the lower portion extends betweenthe raised portions.
 5. The disposal system of claim 4 wherein eachdisposal container has a lid member and a generally upstanding neckregion extending upwardly from said lid member, at least a portion ofsaid upstanding neck region being received within one of the raisedportions of the lid of the transport case when the disposal container isreceived within one of the subcompartments of the transport case and thelid of the transport case is moved to the closed position.
 6. Thedisposal system of claim 1 wherein the transport case is used with alike transport case, said like transport case having a base panel andthe lid of the transport case further including a handle, said handlebeing connected to and extending upwardly from the lid of the transportcase, and wherein said base panel of said like transport case defines achannel, said handle and said channel being sized such that said handleof the transport case may be received within said channel of said liketransport case when said like transport case is stacked in a verticalcolumn on top of the transport case.
 7. The disposal system of claim 6wherein the channel of the like transport case further defines at leastone of the raised walls which define the subcompartments of the liketransport case.
 8. The disposal system of claim 6 wherein the channel ofthe like transport case further defines a raised center portion, thehandle of the transport case being received within said raised centerportion of the channel of said like transport case when said liketransport case is stacked in a vertical column on top of the transportcase.
 9. A waste disposal system to contain and transport contaminatedmaterials, said waste disposal system comprising:a plurality of wastedisposal containers, said waste disposal containers each having acontainer body defining a receptacle region to receive and contain thecontaminated materials, said waste disposals containers each furtherhaving a height and a length and a width, each said waste disposalcontainer having a lid member and a generally upstanding neck regionextending upwardly from said lid member; and a transport case, saidtransport case having a tote body with a base panel and a generally opentop and a lid movable between an open position and a closed positioncovering said generally open top, said lid having a pair of opposingraised portions each positioned adjacent an opposing end of the lid anda lower portion extending between said raised portions, said transportcase defining a receptacle region having a depth and a length and awidth, said depth and said length and said width of said receptacleregion of said transport case being sufficiently greater than the heightand the length and the width of the waste disposal containers so thatmore than one of the waste disposal containers may be removably receivedwithin said transport case, said transport case further having means tosecure the plurality of the waste disposal containers in a substantiallyupright position said means to secure the plurality of waste disposalcontainers in a substantially upright position including at least aportion of said upstanding neck region being received within one of theraised portions of the lid of the transport case when the disposalcontainer is received within one of the subcompartments of the transportcase and the lid of the transport case is moved to the closed position.10. The disposal system of claim 9 wherein the transport case is usedwith a like transport case, said like transport case having a base paneland the lid of the transport case and said like transport case eachfurther including a handle, said handle of the transport case beingconnected to and extending upwardly from the lid of the transport case,and wherein said base panel of said like transport case defines achannel therein oriented generally parallel with said handle of saidlike transport case, said handle of the transport case and said channelof said like transport case being sized such that said handle of thetransport case may be received within said channel of said liketransport case when said like transport case is stacked in a verticalcolumn on top of the transport case.
 11. The disposal system of claim 10wherein the channel of the like transport case further defines at leastone of the raised walls which define the subcompartments of the liketransport case.
 12. The disposal system of claim 11 wherein the channelof the like transport case further defines a raised center portion, thehandle of the transport case being received within said raised centerportion of the channel of said like transport case when said liketransport case is stacked in a vertical column on top of the transportcase.